Mailbox of peace

Section 3. Love & Fr iendship Mai lbox of Peace 074 075 Korea Foundation & US Peace Corps KF COVID-19 Survival Box Gratitude Letter Col lection I wish to express my deepest gratitude to you and staff at the Korea Founda- tion for the COVID - 19 Survival Box . As I opened the box I was overcome with emotion as I realized yet another extraordinary act of kindness and generosity by the Korean people , whom I have loved and respected for 50 years . Each item in the box triggered nos- talgia for Korea and the way it enriches my life . In 1970 I began my Peace Corps service as an English teacher in Chuncheon , Gangwon - do . At that time a Korean family generously invited me to live with them to facilitate my adjustment to their language and culture . Now , 50 years later , I remain in close contact with the father of that family and his children . My experiences with Koreans have given me the greatest joys of my life . Their zeal for education and their myriad advancements have inspired me throughout my 30 - year career as an educator in California . I will be forever grateful to the people of Korea for helping me experience personal and professional fulfillment . Sincerely , “My experiences with Koreans have given me the greatest joys of my life” Daniel D . Holt , K - 12 Daniel D. Holt Sacramento, California My husband and I met in the Peace Corps and were married in Seoul in 1970 We were teachers in different schools in Nonsan where we taught Middle School Girls . We fell in love with Korean food , traditional Korean clothing , rice swaying in the wind , Korea ' s mountains and beautiful islands , its exquisite Buddhist tem- ples but mostly with the little girls we taught . I am still in contact with a number of them and saw them all during our re visit in 2013 . During the revisit , we were delighted to meet young Koreans who were about to venture forth as volunteers in underdeveloped coun- tries . < omit > When the Covid 19 Survival Box arrived , my husband and I were astonished . When we told our children and friends , they too were amazed : too often good deeds go unrecognized . My daughter - in - law said the boxes brought tears to her eyes . Thank you for reaching out to us at this time . Korea has certainly handled the pandemic bet ter than the Uni ted States : that you recognize that we are struggling at this time is incredibly heart - warming . I had planned on visiting Korea this past fall to go to moun- tain temples with my best friend in Korea who is losing her eyesight . Covid thwarted our plans but , hopefully , once a vaccine is available , I can re- turn to your country again . In peace , “Thank you for reaching out to us at this time” Joan Christison - Lagay , K - 12 Joan Christison-Lagay Boston, MA